Foamed, low density, highly extended unsaturated polyester resin syrup composition, a shaped article comprised of the composition and a process for preparing such article

Abstract

A foamed, low density, highly extended, polymerized unsaturated polyester resin product which exhibits excellent fire, strength and insulative properties. The product is formed by combining a first component comprised of unsaturated polyester resin syrup, reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material capable of providing a blowing agent nd selected from the group consisting of inorganic carbonate compounds, inorganic bicarbonate compounds and mixtures thereof and, optionally, non-reactive, non-reinforcing extender material with a second component comprised of an aqueous solution of aluminum hydroxie chloride and, optionally, non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material. When the two components are combined as a composition mixture, the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and the aluminum hydroxie chloride solution react to provide a blowing agent and to form a solid product which chemically binds the water originally present. If desired, a reinforcing filler material can be incorporated into the composition. A wide variety of shaped articles can be formed from the composition.

I claim: 
     
       1. A foamed, low density, highly extended, polymerized unsaturated polyester resin syrup product comprising: (a) polymerized unsaturated polyester resin syrup; and   (b) the reaction product of aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution and reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material capable of providing a blowing agent which is selected from the group consisting of inorganic carbonate compounds, inorganic bicarbonate compounds and mixtures thereof, wherein the original weight ratio of the sum of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution to the unsaturated polyester resin syrup is from about 0.5:1.0 to about 10.0:1.0 and the original weight ratio of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material to the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution is less than about 5.0:1.0.     
     
     
       2. The product of claim 1 wherein the composition includes a non-reactive, non-reinforcing extender material and wherein the original weight ratio of the sum of (i) the reactive, non-reinforcing extender material, (ii) the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material, and (iii) the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution to the unsaturated polyester resin syrup is from about 0.5:1.0 to about 10.0:1.0 and the original weight ratio of the sum of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material to the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution is less than about 5.0:1.0. 
     
     
       3. The product of claim 2 wherein the original weight ratio of the sum of (i) the reactive, non-reinforcing extender, (ii) the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material, and (iii) the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution to the unsaturated polyester resin syrup is from about 0.5:1.0 to about 5.0:1.0 and the original weight ratio of the sum of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material to the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution is from about 3.0:1.0 to about 1.0:1.0. 
     
     
       4. The product of claim 3 wherein the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material is aluminum trihydrate. 
     
     
       5. The product of claim 1 including from about 5 to about 25%, by total weight, of a reinforcing filler material. 
     
     
       6. The product of claim 5 wherein the reinforcing filler material comprises glass fibers. 
     
     
       7. The product of claim 6 wherein the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material is selected from the group consisting of carbonate compounds of Groups IA metals, carbonate compounds of Group IIA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IIA metals and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       8. The product of claim 1 wherein the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material is selected from the group consisting of carbonate compounds of Group IA metals, carbonate compounds of Group IIA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IIA metals and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       9. A shaped article comprised of the foamed, low density, highly extended, polymerized unsaturated polyester resin syrup product of claim 1. 
     
     
       10. A shaped article comprised of the foamed, low density, highly extended, polymerized unsaturated polyester resin syrup product of claim 2. 
     
     
       11. A highly extended, unsaturated polyester resin syrup composition mixture capable of forming a foamed, low density, highly extended, polymerized unsaturated polyester resin syrup product, said composition mixture comprising: (a) unsaturated polyester resin syrup;   (b) aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution; and   (c) reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material capable of providing a blowing agent which is selected from the group consisting of inorganic carbonate compounds, inorganic bicarbonate compounds and mixtures thereof, wherein the original weight ratio of the sum of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution to the unsaturated polyester resin syrup is from about 0.5:1.0 to about 10.0:1.0 and the original weight ratio of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material to the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution is less than about 5.0:1.0.     
     
     
       12. The composition mixture of claim 11 including a non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and wherein the original weight ratio of the sum of (i) the reactive, non-reinforcing extender material, (ii) the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material, and (iii) the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution to the unsaturated polyester resin syrup is from about 0.5:1.0 to about 10.0:1.0 and the original weight ratio of the sum of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material to the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution is less than about 5.0:1.0. 
     
     
       13. The composition mixture of claim 12 including from about 5 to about 25%, by total weight of a reinforcing filler material. 
     
     
       14. The composition mixture of claim 13 wherein the reactive, non-reinforcing extender material is selected from the group consisting of carbonate compounds of Group IA metals, carbonate compounds of Group IIA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IIA metals and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       15. The composition mixture of claim 14 wherein the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, calcium bicarbonate, magnesium bicarbonate and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       16. A highly extended, unsaturated polyester resin syrup composition mixture capable of forming a foamed, low density, highly extended, polymerized unsaturated polyester resin syrup product, said composition mixture comprising: (a) from about 12 to about 33 parts by weight of unsaturated polyester resin syrup;   (b) from about 4 to about 30 parts by weight of aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution; and   (c) from about 15 to about 50 parts by weight of reactive non-reinforcing, extender material capable of providing a blowing agent which is selected from the group consisting of inorganic carbonate compounds, inorganic bicarbonate compounds and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       17. The composition mixture of claim 16 including from about 15 to about 50%, by weight, of non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material. 
     
     
       18. The composition mixture of claim 17 comprising: (a) from about 15 to about 30 parts by weight of unsaturated polyester resin syrup;   (b) from about 5 to about 15 parts by weight of aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution;   (c) from about 20 to about 50 parts by weight of reactive non-reinforcing, extender material capable of providing a blowing agent which is selected from the group consisting of inorganic compound, inorganic bicarbonate compounds and mixtures thereof; and   (d) from about 20 to about 50%, by weight, of non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material.   
     
     
       19. The composition mixture of claim 18 including from about 5 to about 25%, by total weight, of a reinforcing filler material. 
     
     
       20. The composition mixture of claim 19 wherein the reinforcing filler material comprises glass fibers. 
     
     
       21. The composition mixture of claim 20 wherein the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material selected from the group consisting of carbonate compounds of Group IA metals, carbonate compounds of Group IIA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IIA metals and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       22. A process for preparing a shaped article comprising: (a) preparing a first component comprising (i) unsaturated polyester resin syrup, and   (ii) reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material capable of providing a blowing agent which is selected from the group consisting of inorganic carbonate compounds, inorganic bicarbonate compounds and mixtures thereof;     (b) preparing a second component comprising (i) an aqueous solution containing from about 25 to about 65%, by weight, of aluminum hydroxie chloride.     (c) mixing the first and second component to form a composition mixture;   (d) shaping the composition mixture into the configuration of the article; and   (e) curing the composition mixture to form a foamed, low density, highly extended, polymerized unsaturated polyester resin syrup product, wherein the composition mixture has an original weight ratio of the sum of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution to the unsaturated polyester resin syrup of from about 0.5:1.0 to about 10.0:1.0 and an original weight ratio of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material to the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution of less than about 5.0:1.0.     
     
     
       23. The process of claim 22 wherein at least the second component includes non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material whereby the composition mixture has an original weight ratio of the sum of (i) the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material, (ii) the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material, and (iii) the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution to the unsaturated polyester resin syrup is from about 0.5:1.0 to about 10.0:1.0 and the original weight ratio of the sum of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material to the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution is less than about 5.0:1.0. 
     
     
       24. The process of claim 23 wherein the composition mixture includes from about 5 to about 25%, by total weight, of a reinforcing filler material. 
     
     
       25. The process of claim 24 wherein the reinforcing filler material comprises glass fibers. 
     
     
       26. The process of claim 24 wherein the viscosities of the first and second components are approximately equal. 
     
     
       27. The process of claim 24 wherein the original weight ratio of the sum of (i) the reactive, non-reinforcing extender material, (ii) the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material, and (iii) the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution to the unsaturated polyester resin syrup is from about 0.5:1.0 to about 5.0:1.0 and the original weight ratio of the sum of the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material and the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material to the aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride solution is from about 3.0:1.0 to about 1.0:1.0. 
     
     
       28. The process of claim 27 wherein the reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material is selected from the group consisting of carbonate compounds of Group IA metals, carbonate compounds of Group IIA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IA metals, bicarbonate compounds of Group IIA metals and mixtures thereof and the non-reactive, non-reinforcing, extender material is aluminum trihydrate. 
     
     
       29. A two-component, storageable, easily mixed system for producing a foamed, low density, highly extended unsaturated polyester resin product comprising: as a resin-containing component: Unsaturated polyester resin syrup and finely divided particulate inorganic carbonate or bicarbonate; and     as the other component: Aqueous aluminum hydroxie chloride and finely divided particulate non-reactive extender;     said unsaturated polyester resin syrup comprising from 33 to 67 percent of the weight of the two components.   
     
     
       30. The composition of claim 29 wherein the finely divided particulate inorganic carbonate or bicarbonate has a particle size less than 3 microns. 
     
     
       31. The composition of claim 29 wherein the said resin-containing component is milled together. 
     
     
       32. The composition of claim 29 wherein the said other component contains a catalyst for polymerization of unsaturated polyester resin syrup. 
     
     
       33. The composition of claim 29 wherein the said other component contains surfactant.